Steadicam Merlin

Shiv Kumar · September 20th, 2007, 01:42 AM

This is my first test. After having balanced the Merlin and Got up and walked off with Merlin and Camera.

Even though you don't notice it, I am switching hands to achieve some moves. I also found that you need to plan your moves so you're gripping the Merlin correctly in order to be able to use either the gripping hand to control or pan/tilt the camera or the second hand is free and close by to so the job delicately.

I'm walking, kneeling, squating, crawling to achieve these shots. At times I have the steadicam hand stretched out above my head as far as possible or down to the ground as low as the lower spar will allow.

Everything was shoot continuosly (with a 5 minute break in between). I've spliced the footage into more manageable file sizes.

First Test - Joy Ride (70MB)
http://download240.mediafire.com/mjr...yingAtHome.wmv

Flying At Home (65MB)
http://download240.mediafire.com/zjn...yingAtHome.wmv

In the following shot you'll notice that in the first try, I realizsed that I needed to plan my moves. So I go right back down 3 flights of stairs and back up, but this time I'm ready.

UpAndDownStairs (62MB)
http://download28.mediafire.com/ldnx...nTheStairs.wmv

Ing Poh Hii · September 20th, 2007, 02:59 AM

wao you are so quick.. i am downloading... :D. thanksss.

Ing Poh Hii · September 20th, 2007, 06:14 AM

Anyone who is wondering about A1+Merlin, Shiv have really good footage to show and he can control the direction and angel of the camera easily in his first try !! Nice Shiv :).

Shiv Kumar · September 20th, 2007, 06:20 AM

Thanks Ing Poh!

Shiv Kumar · September 20th, 2007, 09:40 AM

170MB
http://thehomefront.dynamicarchitect...t1_JoyRide.wmv

73MB
http://thehomefront.dynamicarchitect...nTheStairs.wmv

105MB
http://thehomefront.dynamicarchitect...yingAtHome.wmv

Ing Poh Hii · September 20th, 2007, 09:30 PM

Ha! What a morning with so many good stuff to download :D. I have just started my download engine but I have an idea, Shiv, have you done it yet ?

I wonder how good is it to use Merlin+A1 doing slow dolly movement ? track or pan slowly while walking few steps, have you tried it yet ?

downloading... 2%

many thanks Shiv :D.

Shiv Kumar · September 21st, 2007, 06:47 AM

Ing,

Doing a dolly and pan move is not a problem at all. In fact (granted it wasn't slow) almost all of the shots in the videos I uploaded are dolly/boom and pan. I mean every move there included moving physically while also controlling (pan/tilt) the camera.

With a properly balanced Merlin/Camera combo, panning is simply unmatched. I very slight touch on the guide urging the camera to pan will make the camera pan extremely smoothly (and very slowly) for one or two revolutions at least. So essentitally you have to gradually stop the pan as well even though the initial start was a very slight touch.

In the Joyride video when I'm leaning over the rails of my deck holding the merlin in one hand; Before I hang over the rails, I've initiated a pan (because you can't really do it with one hand at that angle), bent over the rails, move laterally across the deck while the camera is panning towards the rails but move back up from over the rails before the camera pans towards me and the lower spar bumps my arm. Then as soon as I've straightened up, switch the Merlin over to the other hand (again to prevent the lover spar from touching my arm) and then slow down the panning movement or pan it the other way.

September 20th, 2007, 01:42 AM	#1
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Steadicam Merlin - Test Shots This is my first test. After having balanced the Merlin and Got up and walked off with Merlin and Camera. Even though you don't notice it, I am switching hands to achieve some moves. I also found that you need to plan your moves so you're gripping the Merlin correctly in order to be able to use either the gripping hand to control or pan/tilt the camera or the second hand is free and close by to so the job delicately. I'm walking, kneeling, squating, crawling to achieve these shots. At times I have the steadicam hand stretched out above my head as far as possible or down to the ground as low as the lower spar will allow. Everything was shoot continuosly (with a 5 minute break in between). I've spliced the footage into more manageable file sizes. First Test - Joy Ride (70MB) http://download240.mediafire.com/mjr...yingAtHome.wmv Flying At Home (65MB) http://download240.mediafire.com/zjn...yingAtHome.wmv In the following shot you'll notice that in the first try, I realizsed that I needed to plan my moves. So I go right back down 3 flights of stairs and back up, but this time I'm ready. UpAndDownStairs (62MB) http://download28.mediafire.com/ldnx...nTheStairs.wmv

September 20th, 2007, 09:40 AM	#5
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Link to Higher Bitrate videos 170MB http://thehomefront.dynamicarchitect...t1_JoyRide.wmv 73MB http://thehomefront.dynamicarchitect...nTheStairs.wmv 105MB http://thehomefront.dynamicarchitect...yingAtHome.wmv Last edited by Shiv Kumar; September 20th, 2007 at 10:19 AM.

September 20th, 2007, 02:59 AM	#2
Ing Poh Hii Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kuching, Malaysia Posts: 104	wao you are so quick.. i am downloading... :D. thanksss.

September 20th, 2007, 06:14 AM	#3
Ing Poh Hii Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kuching, Malaysia Posts: 104	Anyone who is wondering about A1+Merlin, Shiv have really good footage to show and he can control the direction and angel of the camera easily in his first try !! Nice Shiv :).

September 20th, 2007, 06:20 AM	#4
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Thanks Ing Poh!

September 20th, 2007, 09:30 PM	#6
Ing Poh Hii Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kuching, Malaysia Posts: 104	Ha! What a morning with so many good stuff to download :D. I have just started my download engine but I have an idea, Shiv, have you done it yet ? I wonder how good is it to use Merlin+A1 doing slow dolly movement ? track or pan slowly while walking few steps, have you tried it yet ? downloading... 2% many thanks Shiv :D.

September 21st, 2007, 06:47 AM	#7
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Ing, Doing a dolly and pan move is not a problem at all. In fact (granted it wasn't slow) almost all of the shots in the videos I uploaded are dolly/boom and pan. I mean every move there included moving physically while also controlling (pan/tilt) the camera. With a properly balanced Merlin/Camera combo, panning is simply unmatched. I very slight touch on the guide urging the camera to pan will make the camera pan extremely smoothly (and very slowly) for one or two revolutions at least. So essentitally you have to gradually stop the pan as well even though the initial start was a very slight touch. In the Joyride video when I'm leaning over the rails of my deck holding the merlin in one hand; Before I hang over the rails, I've initiated a pan (because you can't really do it with one hand at that angle), bent over the rails, move laterally across the deck while the camera is panning towards the rails but move back up from over the rails before the camera pans towards me and the lower spar bumps my arm. Then as soon as I've straightened up, switch the Merlin over to the other hand (again to prevent the lover spar from touching my arm) and then slow down the panning movement or pan it the other way.